LPR Brakes Farnese Wines presentation

The official presentation of Team LPR Brakes Farnese Vini took place in the town of Ortona, near the Adriatic Sea in front of a large gathering.

Having all Italian sponsors, the team maintained the importance of the Italian races on the calendar. The team has also applied for participation in the international racing calendar, and their focus is to build on their results of 2009.

During the presentation Archbishop Monsignor Ghidelli was very entertaining with his blessing for sponsor Farnese wines sharing his upbringing with the crowd. He recalls, "I am the son of a landlord and I grew up between smoking, cursing and wine. The first two I just took them out, but not the wine."

Star sprinter Alesandro Petacchi said he is ready to get back to the business of sprinting. "My job is to win, not just in bike racing. After two years without Giro d'Italia I cannot compare myself (to the other sprinters). Not only do you have Bennati and Cavendish to look out for, but there are others and we must beat them all, and they will have to beat me," Petachhi said of the upcoming season.

The biggest race for the team will be the Giro d'Italia, which their star rider Danilo Di Luca won in 2007. "My goals are the Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Giro d'Italia and the icing on the cake would be the Worlds," said Di Luca. For the Giro he said, "to do well will have to have a strong start, and take advantage in the first week and defend our position."

Petachhi is also a former winner of the sprinters jersey, so the team will have their work cut out for them if the want to take both home for the team.